Chapter 121
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: The Daily Life of House Beatrice (1)
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...Annoying.
Bianca stabbed at her innocent steak as if venting her anger.
...The more she tried not to think about it, the more Eugene's face came to mind.
'What did that pervert say...'
His family was prestigious, he had a decent face, he pretended not to but showed subtle consideration, and he was good in bed—what else was there to him besides that?!
'...What am I even saying?!'
She had meant to curse him out, but before she knew it, she'd only listed his good points.
'Th-this makes it seem like I'm obsessed with that jerk! ...Aaaah!! Whatever!'
The more she thought, the more it felt like falling into a trap that con artist had set, so she forced herself to stop.
'...Just eat.'
Was it because her heart hadn't calmed?
Bam—!
"...Ah."
The fork she'd slammed down hard toward the steak slipped from her hand.
Clang—
The flying fork hit the floor, and Vivian jumped in fright, letting out a scream.
"Eeeek! S-sorry...!"
Seeing Vivian like that left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Even though she'd said she wouldn't get revenge, Vivian still couldn't believe it and feared her.
"...Haa."
Letting out a deep sigh, I rose from my seat.
Vivian spoke up in a trembling voice, as if steeling herself.
"S-sis... where are you... g-going...? D-dinner..."
"Not hungry. You eat it."
Back in her room, Bianca tore at her hair and muttered.
"...You idiot."
She'd snapped at Vivian again.
That wasn't what she'd wanted.
Vivian had spoken out of concern, so she could've at least responded kindly...
Why was she always like this?
'...I wasn't always this way.'
When had things between her and Vivian gotten so tangled...?
Recalling an irreparable past, Bianca pulled the blanket over her head.
Kwaang—!
The great tree struck by young Bianca's fist slowly toppled backward.
Kuung—!
The tree fully crashed down, kicking up clouds of dust, and the watching adults clapped as they spoke.
"As expected of Lady Bianca. She's more than worthy of the genius label!"
"Of course! To awaken her unique ability at that age and wield it so well. House Beatrice's revival is as good as done!"
...Looking back now, it was utterly embarrassing, but back then I truly thought I was a genius.
Having awakened my unique ability far ahead of my peers, with everyone around me hyping me up, I had no choice but to believe it as a child.
"Sis!"
As I smiled contentedly at the fallen tree, Vivian called me in her lisping voice.
"Vivian!"
I rushed over in one bound and hugged her tight.
Her deep purple hair, sparkling amethyst eyes, cute little nose and mouth—it was a face so adorable I never tired of it.
"Urgh... c-can't... breathe...! S-sis, th-this...!"
Without being asked, she brought a towel to wipe my sweat every single day—how commendable was that?
Unable to hold back, I rubbed my cheek against Vivian's soft ones.
"...Vivian!.. Vivian!.. Why are you so cute?!"
"...Ugh... sis... you smell like sweat..."
Even as she complained about the sweat smell, Vivian didn't push me away—instead, she rubbed her cheek back against mine.
If you named the cutest, most lovable thing in the world, it'd obviously be Vivian.
'...Vivian.'
Deep in Bianca's heart, there was always guilt toward Vivian.
Under the banner of reviving House Beatrice, all the family's support and attention had gone solely to her.
Vivian was always overshadowed by Bianca.
'...So at least I...'
At least she had to protect her small, young little sister.
That's what she'd thought.
Quite some time had passed, but my abilities had barely improved.
"...Somehow, it feels like you've gotten... a bit duller than before."
"Is it a slump? Or perhaps..."
The adults' gazes of expectation and admiration toward me swiftly turned to disappointment and doubt.
"..."
The looks in their eyes hurt more than the blood trickling between my clenched fists.
Back in my room, I sat on the chair and unwound the blood-soaked bandages.
"...Ugh."
The bandages stuck to my wounds, and peeling them off brought groans of pain on their own.
"...Haa."
Staring at my mangled hands, a sigh escaped me naturally.
The once-soft hands had turned rough and callused from daily training.
'...From tomorrow, increase the training volume.'
She'd already ramped it up countless times, yet her skills remained stagnant.
Back then, she'd denied it, but now she could admit it.
'I'm no genius.'
Her talent wasn't even close to genius—at best, prodigy level if you were generous.
She'd just been a kid who'd coincidentally manifested her 'unique ability' early.
Proof was that her peers, who couldn't even catch her toehold before, now stood beside her.
Every time she saw them, fear surged that no matter how hard she tried, they'd surpass her.
That alone was torment enough, but something far worse existed.
—Slap
"...Bianca... you'll do better next time, right?"
It wasn't the violence from Mother.
Her cheek stung a little, but she'd grown accustomed to pain; it wasn't enough to make her wince.
"You must revive House Beatrice. If not... House Beatrice... ah..! Aah.. aaah!"
...But watching Mother break down more as I fell behind was unbearable.
"...Yes, Mother. Don't worry. I'll do better next time."
"...Y-yes... Bianca... you're all I have... only you..."
Holding me as she sobbed, Mother wore away at something inside me each time.
'...I'm tired.'
It felt like an endless race.
How much longer did she have to keep this up before it ended?
Or would it ever end?
The only comfort in her increasingly barren heart was Vivian.
'...Come to think of it, why hasn't she come today?'
Vivian always brought a towel when training ended, but not today.
"M-Mother, where's Vivian?"
"...Vivian? No idea. Probably in her room. Instead of worrying about that, focus on next week's..."
...That?
Calling Vivian 'that'?
Biting her lower lip hard to suppress the urge to curse at Mother.
"Bianca? Are you listening?"
"...Yes, Mother. I'll go back to training."
"G-good... training's important. Work hard."
I let Mother's words go in one ear and out the other as I headed not to the training grounds, but Vivian's room.
—Knock knock
"Vivian? You in there?"
No answer to the knock.
Figuring she was sleeping without covers again, I entered—and beheld an unbelievable sight.
'...What is this?'
Wooong— wooong—!
Several spells manifested at once.
In the center, Vivian moved her hands like conducting an orchestra.
"...Vivian?"
I called her name without certainty.
Was this really the little Vivian I knew?
"Ah! Sis!"
But as she turned and smiled brightly at me, my doubts vanished.
"Look! I did exactly as the book said, and it worked!"
Vivian ran and hugged me like always.
I couldn't even think to hug back, staring blankly at the floating spells.
'...Multi-casting?'
Forget multi-casting—even after decades of study, mages who couldn't do dual-casting were a dime a dozen.
And Vivian had pulled it off just from reading a book?
I realized in an instant.
'A genius.'
Vivian was the real deal, not a half-baked one like me.
At the same time, an uncontrollable fear welled up from deep in my gut.
'...No.'
No.
Mother must never find out.
With my middling talent, I'd suffered this much—what would she do if she saw Vivian's gift?
Vivian would surely break.
I absolutely couldn't let that happen.
'I have to protect her.'
As her big sister, I couldn't let Vivian walk my path.
"...Sis? Are you mad...? Did I... not come greet you? S-sorry... I got so focused... lost track of time..."
Maybe because my face had hardened, Vivian asked worriedly.
I hugged her tight and replied.
"No. I'm not mad. Why would I ever get mad at you? I was just surprised, that's all."
"Hehe... yeah. Sis, I practiced to show you!"
Seeing her innocent smile hardened my resolve further.
I schooled my face and spoke lowly.
"Vivian. No more magic from now on. It's forbidden."
"...Huh? Why? Why forbidden?"
"If anyone finds out you use magic, you might end up as busy as me. Then you couldn't play with me anymore. You don't want that, right?"
Vivian shook her head in shock at not being able to play with me.
"N-no...! I wanna play with sis!"
"Then no more magic? Promise me?"
"Yeah! I promise!"
She hooked her pinky with mine.
"Good girl, Vivian."
As I went to pat her head in praise, I suddenly noticed.
...Vivian's eye level was nearly the same as mine now.
"...You've grown, Vivian."
"Have I? Not sure."
Vivian tilted her head, eyes wide.
'What kind of question is that...'
Asking something so pointless.
Her own growth had stalled lately, so it bugged her a bit.
'...I'll grow soon enough anyway.'
Shaking off idle thoughts with a wry chuckle, I shook my head.
"Come here, Vivian."
"...Hehe... sis."
Feeling her warm body heat in my arms, I made a vow.
To work even harder, so Vivian never had to sacrifice herself.